Tonys 2011: The Playgoer Blogcast

11:05 Another great closing number from NPH like last time he hosted...but will the Tony producers ever tell CBS they're showing slides???

11:02 Who would have thunk it: South Park's Trey Parker was the classiest act of them all. (Shout out to The Prophet Joseph Smith extra credit.)

10:59 How does it make sense to waste so much time during the broadcast so that the really "important" awards (Best Actor/Actress, Best Musical, etc.) have to be so rushed...... And, Chris Rock: a dig at Nathan Lane? Really?... Funny to describe waiting to give the Best Musical award to Book of Mormon as like "taking a prostitute to dinner"... but, man, that would have been awkward if it went another way, wouldn't it?

10:56 Notice how they're saving time by having one presenter present for Best Actor/Actress in both play and musical.

10:53 Wow, a surprise!  Mark Rylance upsets Joe Mantello. Both were truly great. But this does give away B'way's Brit Bias.... But at least we get to hear another wacky Rylance speech.

Oh, during commercial Lighting went to Mormon (musical) and War Horse (play)

10:50 Does anyone know what Paul Schaeffer is doing? Oh, introducing Priscilla. He wrote "It's Raining Men"? That and being on CBS' Late Show with David Letterman will get you on the Tonys.

10:44 Does that jean jacket mean you're in character, Frances McDormand?

10:35 Yay for Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company (home to Mary Zimmerman among others), winner of the Regional Tony.

For a moment, after's James Earl & Vanessa R.'s stately intro, I thought, Ahh Here Are the Plays.... But then we got a ragtag montage (with awful music) of "plays" including, inexplicably Colin Quinn and Pee-wee Herman. What was that?

And now, Broadway's idea of a star: washed up super-model and Billy Joel ex-wife Christie Brinkley? (Just because she's in Chicago right now. Who isn't.)

Now, ok: I balked at the Spider-Man promo. I mocked the Memphis reprise. But what possible justification is there for showcasing the New York Philharmonic concert-presentation of Company? Not only is it not running anymore--it barely ran. And it wasn't even a fully staged production. (And, needless to say, it wasn't in any sense "On Broadway.") Yes, the video of the concert will air in select cinemas next week, but....huh? And they made all those actors--including the under-used Patti LuPone--rehearse again, months later, for this?

You know, CBS, this doesn't have to be a three-hour show.

10:15 During commercial, in the In Case You Care department...War Horse  and Book of Mormon won Best Set Design... (Actually I thought Mormon's set was the least impressive thing about it , but it served the show, I guess..)

10:07 Most compelling political comment of the night: Google buying commercial time on the Tonys for their ad featuring Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project.

You know, having just reflected on Larry Kramer's speech, I realize now how depressing it is that "shocking" statements advocating gay rights on the Tonys go back to Harvey Firestein in the early 80s (if not earlier). The fact that this is still pushing the envelope is pretty sad.

Unlrelated: A Memphis number? Reallly??? I thought the Spider-Man preview was pushing it (and thank you Commenter Tom Shea for indeed elucidating precedent) but here's a show that already won a Best Musical Tony getting yet another chance--and they use some random school-kids visit to justify it? Weird.

10:00 Omigod: They are pretending the Gurgis play really is called "The Mother with the Hat"--even Cannivale has to say it and that's what CBS shows the title as on screen. (No, not "Mother (Blank)," just "Mother"!).

Big boost to War Horse for NPH to ride "Joey" onto the stage himself. To compete with that, the competitor should at least be able to say "Motherfucker" on the air...

Normal Heart wind Best Play Revival. It truly is electric, see it. (Daryl Roth is even saying thanks to Joel Grey but "now under the leadership of George C. Wolfe.") Larry Kramer impressively concise!  "Our Day Will Come" a nice political jab to complement the more self-effacing opening number.

9:48 Joke of the night does go to the pro: "The only beard in this room is mine"--Robin Williams. (Too bad CBS sounds failed on his Spider-Man joke. Is it just my cheap cable service or is CBS sounds going out all over the place?!?)

Thank you, Whoopi Goldberg for reminding us that Sister Act is only one musical adapted from your movies. (And that Ghost is coming.  Brr.....)

And about those Best Play spots... Is it really more telegenic to watch actors (even actors as entertaining as Mark Rylance) read cue-cards summarizing their plays than to actually watch them perform 30 seconds of the play???

9:35 In case you care(!) they handed out Best Costumes (Musical) to Priscilla and Best Costumes (Play) to Earnest and Best Set (play) to War Horse ... all were handed out during commercial.

9:30 So. 6 minutes devoted to Spider-Man. (Bono & Edge plus number.) A show not only not-nominated, but hasn't even opened yet. Any precedent for this on the Tonys? Also interesting: is this the Broadway Establishment's way of kissing & making up with Spider-Man, and acknowledging that after all the mishigas, it's still the only Broadway show most of the country's hear of? They're clearly investing now on this being The Great White Hit!

9:23 re: the NPH-Hugh Jackman duet... Thank God the Tonys are having fun this year! That's why the tone set by the opening number was so fresh. An improvement... and I credit Neil Patrick Harris.

John La Roquette is very, very good in How to Succeed. A natural stage actor, who knew? Well deserved.

Brooke Shields is going into The Addams Family?...And she just cursed but the sound was out anyway! (or was that preemptive bleeping?)

9:10 Colbert!  Is he introducing Book of Mormon because he's on Comedy Central, or because he's so white.

First, Nikki James' Tony, then Andrew Rannells ' song... you see how what makes The Book of Mormon is not just its hilarious writing, but fantastic, top-of-of-their game performing talent.

By the way, with all the Mormons out there watching this for the first time, this number ("I Believe!") will either stir huge controversy or become completely viral!

Interesting gossip, btw, on how the Mormon folk didn't know what number they could get away with on the broadcast. "Turn it Off" (the tribute to life in the closet) would have been my choice, but I guess Neil Patrick Harris already pushed the gay envelope for the evening....

8:52 Wow, that Scottsboro Boys seems like such an upbeat musical! Why or why didn't it succeed.... Seriously I was just glad they didn't only do the Minstrel number--because whatever side of that controversy you took, you gotta admit, out of context, that doesn't look good... That Joshua Henry is great, though, isn't he?

Mormon directors. Trey Parker finally gets on tv! (and thanks South Park fans?) And I can't believe Casey Nicholaw is a first-time winner. Between Spamalot choreography and the Encores Follies he is the musical comedy director of the moment as far as I'm concerned.

War Horse directors: First, both musical and play have co-directors? a trend? (not to mention Normal Heart). Second, it's true that War Horse is a better production that a play, per se (i.e. to read). But, hey, that's theatre, right? Yay, Royal National Theatre! (It's quite theatrical, believe me.)

8:36 It's official: The Tony-Approved name for Stephen Adly Guirgis's play is "The Mother with the Hat." Yep, those moms love to wear hats!

Catch Me number: Butz is the best, isn't he? Too bad the sound went out for 10 seconds. Is that show any good? Haven't seen it... With this and How to Succeed back to back, though, you realize how male-heavy this season indeed was!  And Priscilla is still to come. We'll get all-women with Sister Act...but they're nuns!  They could have had a number with average, sensual women with Women on the Verge, but no.
 
8:26 An Equus joke? Man, NPH is out there tonight.... Why is John Leguizamo doing excerpts from his closed stand-up show? Especially if no one told CBS that he's showing slides upstage...I guess he's the warm up comedian. But the show already started!... Oh, I see it's a "Broadway Moment." Ugh, will there be more?

By the way, for those of you outside of NYC, do note that the proceedings tonight may technically be happening on Broadway & 74th st, it's not really happening "On Broadway" (i.e. the theatre district) as NPH claimed.

8:20 "Brotherhood of Man" was indeed the highlight of that show. Was so great in the theatre that I can't help thinking it disappointed on tv, but maybe not. Harry Potter looking pretty good! He's not so terrible on stage--sure he can't really sing, but he gets by on charm. (And tweeny cheers in the audience.)

(BTW: Playgoer's Twitter feed will probably not update each time I post here tonight. But for those Twits out there, I will try to toss out some extras.)

8:12 Dynamite speech by Ellen Barkin. First of probably many shout-outs to Larry Kramer for the night....But notice she only mentioned George Wolfe and not the "co-director" Joel Grey. They've all fessed up now that Wolfe took over after Grey went into Anything Goes. But still, bit awkward...

8:06 Yes, Neil Patrick Harris just said "Sodomy" on the Tony Awards...

They went the Billy Crystal/Oscars route with a parody song--but it was brilliant. Probably written by the same team who wrote Crystal's numbers: Mark Shaiman & Scott Wittman.

Thank god they're embracing their marginalization ("It's not just for gays anymore"). Good for Harris & co. for outing the tension.....But bad idea, maybe to risk audience-stars singing on demand (Brooke Shields)

8:00 And they're off...

Welcome to the 65th Annual Tony Awards. Or, as it's known at CBS: not sweeps week.

The story so far: "Mormon" sweep is underway with not only Book & Score, but Orchestration. Anything Goes' Kathleen Marshall, though, did best Mormon's Casey Nickolaw for choreography.

I think there were others, too, but they haven't been tweeted yet.

By the way, CBS, ATW and Broadway League... you do know that Mormon is written by the South Park guys, right? Well they're famous and they just won a bunch of award, and you didn't put it on television.

7:49 Welcome to the blogcast.  The CBS broadcast of the awards show doesn't start for another 20 minutes. But the awarding is already underway.

For the last decade or so, the Tony peeps have had to hand out a bunch of awards off-air to keep the broadcast at three hours. These minor mentions--oh, you know, musical score, costumes, sets, etc.--have now been patronizingly called "The Creative Arts Awards!"  As if there's nothing creative about the rest of what we'll see.

So right now, in the Beacon Theatre, while there's still time before they're On the Air, Laura Benanti and Katie Finneran are hosting "the Creative Arts Tony Awards, presented by InterContinental Hotels and Resorts." Sponsorship? Bra-Vo, American Theatre Wing & Broadway League.

So, Athol Fugard's acceptance speech for Lifetime Achievement? Not gonna be on tv.

And unlike last year, TonyAwards.com is not video streaming this. And their twitter feed is far behind. Excuse me for being such a 21st century ADD blogger, but... what is going ON in there???

Tony Blogcast 2010

11:00
OMG the lead Memphis producer sounds so gay!  And I thought this was the compromise/consensus choice of the voters.

The winner gets to perform at the end??  What is this American Idol???

Hey the broadcast came in almost on time this year!

So Memphis is the winner they say...but lately the real contest starts the next day: when we see who did well at the box office the morning after...

g'night y'all

10:50
Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth--along with Kristen Chenoweth, earlier--seem to be cementing a new Tony tradition of big stars parading their humility over not being nominated.  Why not. I'm glad for any drama left on these shows.

Gosh, Catherine Zeta-Jones is so surprised!...And thank you, Catherine, for keeping us from sleeping tonight by actually reminding us you sleep with Michael Douglas every night.

"If you want to see a Democrat kiss a Republican every night, come to the Longacre Theatre"--winner Douglas Hodge tipping his hat to La Cage Aux Folles co-star Kelsey Grammer.


10:45
American Idiot--yes "subliminal mindfuck America" and "faggot America" have to get bleeped on the Tony Awards, just like Top 40 radio.

Only presenters to give a shout-out to the balcony: Helen Mirren and Billy Jo Armstrong.

Raquel who?

10:35
Best Play Revival Fences--they just played Carol Shorenstein-Hayes and Scott Rudin off! Do they not know who they're dealing with! Welcome to the for-profit world, Carol...

Best Play Red--I know and like Arielle Tepper, but be careful, Ari, in exhorting all artists to learn from what Red shows Rothko doing.  You mean, tell your money-men to go fuck themselves when they compromise your art too much?

A Glee tribute??? It's not on Broadway, it's not on Off Broadway.  But it's the only desperate hope the theatre industry has... (see this argument in today's Times.)

10:20
Bill T. Jones wins Choreography--Fela still in the running! (Unless it means all they liked was the dancing.  As Times dance critic Allistair McCauley wrote recently, it certainly is the show with the most dancing.)  I love how nobody in America knows what the hell Jones means by his shout-out paying tribute to Fela Kuti!  They still haven't said what the show's about...

Speaking of Fela, what went into that performance-excerpt choice???  I respect former Tony-winner Lillias White and all, but let's face it: the draw for the show is the Fela guy!  Sahr Ngaujah!  I haven't even seen the show and even I know the best number is that "blah blah Kay Kay!" moment with the lights flashing on and off.  (You know, that clip they used to show all the time.)  Really bad choice in marketing here.  What resulted was a weird medley of seemingly disconnected moments that just made the show seem...well, foreign.

Compare that to the Come Fly Away--they just put forward the gal jumping around in "That's Life", their best number.  End of story.  Ticket sales will soar tomorrow, mark my words.

9:55
Newsflashes

Denzel Washington tells his (college-age) kids to "go to bed."  It's not even 10.

Jude Law a no-show!

NewslfashViola Davis thanks God and Scott Rudin--in that order!


Hey, Jay-Z woke up!  At the sight of Sean Hayes in an Annie dress apparently...

Just one more hour to go...

9:38 Send in the clips!  So there's the videos of plays--a two minute montage.  Pretty impossible for an audience not familiar with the Broadway season to follow, I'd think--unless they just like seeing Denzel or Hugh Jackman's face.

Nice to see I have competition again this year from the Times!  Watch Charles Isherwood pseudo-blog, with the help of reporter Dave Itzkoff...

Speaking of the Times, they revealed the other day that the Tonys are bigger than ever!  The physical trophy itself, that is. "It now stands at five inches tall," reports Erik Piepenberg, "up from three and a quarter inches, and weighs three and a half pounds, a two-pound gain." Part of the rationale, they say, is to make it easier for winners to hold aloft.  So...can you tell?



9:15
I haven't seen Memphis.  And many seem to like it.  But that excerpt sure looked lame...Let us note, too, that Bon Jovi's David Bryan did indeed win a Tony in the pre-show for Best Score for Memphis...Jay-Z didn't seem too into the excerpt either. Or very awake, for that matter.

9:00
Who got a bigger hand, John Bon Jovi or Ted Chapin?


8:57
The Directors: two Brits, Michael Grandage (Red) & Terry Johnson (La Cage).  Signaling something of a sweep for both shows in their respective categories. (And doesn't bode well for loser Bill T. Jones and his Fela!)

The Plays:  As for the new format...well, could be worse!  At least they spent more time on each play than the usual 2-second excerpts they used to play. (Ah yes, that immortal line from Coast of Utopia: "Indeed!" Summed up the whole nine hours.)  And it did allow a bunch of otherwise unknown stage stars to shine (Patrick Breen, Laura Benanti), or at least be seen (Brian D'Arcy James--saving his voice, maybe, for Next to Normal?). And actually describing the plots in detail might even help sell regional and school productions of the plays.  But a few video clips couldn't have hurt, could they?

8:40re: the first two awards, the "Featured Performances"--shall we say the Pretty People win?  Actually, Scarlett Johansson was indeed not bad in her stage debut.  And by not bad I mean, she didn't shrivel up on stage like most movie stars.  It was a totally stageworthy, almost self-effacing performance...As for Red's Eddie Redmayne, let's just say he's not the reason to see Red. (And neither is John Logan's script.  So you figure it out.)


The La Cage excerpt was pretty awkwardly handled.  I'm sure many were hoping for Douglas Hodge's show-stopping "I Am What I Am."  (Especially since George Hearn was not allowed to perform it in drag for the original show's 1984 Tony moment.)  But no, that wouldn't include Kelsey Grammer--who American TV viewers have heard of.  "The Best of Times" is a sensible alternative, I guess, being probably the show's most famous number.  But it certainly didn't show the production in the best light.  Avoiding the ire of the homophobes was certainly not the thinking, since here you have the whole team of scantily clad "Cagelles" strolling down the aisles.  Speaking of using the aisles--pretty awkward television.  No matter how many close-ups of the Glee guy they show.  Ah if only they let Hodge lapdance Will Smith!


8:25
Kudos to Sean Hayes in his opening monologue for three gutsy moves. 1st: taking on the whole Newsweek controversy right off the bat by smooching with Kristen Chenoweth...2nd: welcoming "closeted right-wingers" to the Broadway community...and 3rd and most daring: opening with a View from the Bridge joke. CBS must just love having to broadcast a three-hour inside joke every year, huh?

8:15
Uh...were those Green Day banners supposed to look like Nazi flags?  Billy Jo and friends certainly got disproportionate air time compared the non-rock stars.  But with their appearance plus opening with an Elvis impersonator the Tonys have finally achieved their dream: to be a poorly produced Grammys.

8:03
Of all things, opening with Sean Hayes: concert pianist? Ok, that's odd....Awkward segue to Million Dollar Quartet--Welcome to your favorite PBS telethon, Those Fabulous Fifties!...Memphis guy has to recite lame "DJ" script adapting his character for the competing shows?  Poor actor...Kind of a diss to the actually nominated shows to mix them in with the also-rans, no? .... Boy, Fela sure left 'em silent, didn't it? Hope there's more to come...

Tonys 2008: The Blogcast

Welcome to the 4th Annual Playgoer Live Tony Blogcast!

By now I fancy myself quite the jaded Tony viewer/critic. But I must say, every year they find new ways to shock me with their callousness. (And by "they," I suppose I mean some combination of CBS, the American Theatre Wing, and the Broadway league.)

Every year, for the last decade, we've gotten used to the ghettoization of the less flashy award categories to an off-air pre-show. As criminal as it is, I had just adjusted myself to the placement of design awards to the Tony no man's land of 7-8pm.

Well look who's there this year: Book of a Musical. Choreography(!). Surprised yet? How about: Best Revival: Play!

I know, I know, there wasn't even any Revival category before the 90s. But it's there to acknowledge the reality that most of the best productions on Broadway are revivals.

And in what was supposed to be the "year of the play" what a nice way to honor that then to shift four of the nominees out of sight. (Boeing, Boeing won, btw, beating The Homecoming and Macbeth.)

I'd say this reflects an anti-play bias...but Choreography, in the modern American musical theatre, at least, is pretty, pretty darn important, no? Ruthless.

(Andy Blankenbuehler won for In The Heights.)

(You can follow the winners all night, by the way, at the Tony website here.)

Before the big opener, one last random pre-show observation: I just saw a CBS Tony commercial which ran about 1.5 seconds of a clip-montage from "the exciting shows you'll see" or something like that. I was amused that one moment of obscure B'way dud "Is He Dead" flitted by. Probably just because of the fancy period costumes. Joke is, it went by so fast no one could tell the actor in the hoop dress was Norbert Leo Butz!

8:20
"Circle of Life" indeed. What is it, 1998 again? No doubt they'll drag out Lion King ten years from now to "revive" this tranquilized poor animal of a tv show again.

Seriously, Julie Taymor's triumphant opening number still looks as beautiful as ever. But seeing her beaming in the audience did make me consider: Has Lion King enabled Julie Taymor to do better theatre work? I don't think so. Sure, she can make movies now, but such is the conundrum of the modern American theatre artist: the goal is to get a hit SO big... that you don't need to do theatre anymore. (Like in Seinfeld when Elaine dates a med student on the hopes that she'll be hitched to a doctor, only to get dumped by him after his exams when he explains the only reason to become a doctor is to date other women.)

And did Whoopi Goldberg just say "Thank you to The Lion King for bringing families back to Broadway for ten years"? I guess the League is writing all the copy themselves tonight.

Rondi Reed's win for Featured Actress in August signals an August sweep. As expected.

And while I'm prognosticating, I'd say the In The Heights win for chroreography--over the rumored favorite Cry Baby's Rob Ashford--bodes well for that show tonight.

Ashford's work, displayed in the mock-Jailhouse Rock number just shown, is as virtuosoic as ever. But it's heartening to know--that like the Democratic party--the Tony voters went for something a little different from the standard playbook. (And the dancing in In The Heights is undeniably amazing.)

8:40
Hey, is anyone watching this show? Anyone? If so, let me know. Just curious if I'm alone.

Was that someone from Counting Crows on the Tonys??? Well, to introduce Passing Strange, a good choice, no doubt. But having seen Stew rock the house at the Obies with "Welcome to Amsterdam" already, I have a feeling it got lost in the 3000-seat house of Radio City. His added grovelly sign-off of "This is how Passing Strange does it" seems to have met with...nonplussed response.

Not gonna win, I think. Not at this gig.

Hm, so I guess what the Tony producers thought was needed to boost the ratings is more backstage wackiness with the host? Just think of how many awards could have been handed out in that time...

9:04
I realize now in my futile call for readers out there watching the Tonys right now that I'm asking too much. Watching the Tonys is in itself enough of an effort of theatre geekdom. Watching while reading a theatre blog...you're far gone.

Of course if you are watching while reading this theatre blog, I love you very much.

First anti-climax of the night: stepping right on the heels of LuPone's immediate classic rendition of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" with something from "Phantom of the Opera." No matter that it turned out to be a Whoopi parody...

3-minute pre-filmed segment:"The Year in Plays!" More like the year in posters. Then somewhere between 1 and 5 seconds of video from various productions. If lucky, one line of dialogue. I'm sorry , I know it's an obvious point, but the fact that they can't show scenes from plays (even if more slickly filmed) is an insult to the whole idea of American theatre as something distinct from just musicals.

"In the Heights" sweep continues, with Best Score for Mr. Miranda. Holy Shit, he really is rapping his speech! Guess he figures he won't win Best Actor and the producers get the mike for Best Musical...so why save it! Good for him. They really, really, better not cut him off...

(Nice of Duncan Sheik, before presenting the award, to remind the audience that Stew did win Best Book, but not on television.)

Back to LuPone and the Gypsy excerpt--first, kudos for getting Jack Klugman, the original Herbie to introduce. Brave man for acting for over ten years without a voice box. (Respect, always, for Oscar Madison!) Now many will question the choice of "Roses" over "Rose's Turn" as LuPone's big number. Just remember, though, that Bernadette Peters did that as her number on the Tonys five years ago. So maybe Patti wanted to avoid comparisons? But also, this was a wise choice because it highlighted the importance of the whole triumverate of that Gypsy cast (Laura Bernati as Gypsy and Boyd Gaines as Herbie.) Plus, LuPone told Michael Riedel, I think, that she really wanted to be able to do a song on the Tonys with the lead-in dialogue. You know, acting. So note how they were able to do that with this number.

9:19
Obviously with Whoopi the strategy is: Billy Crystal. Yet another attempt in the bankrupt ambition of this shows to emulate the Oscars.

"Grease" excerpt: little Max & Laura, back where they belong: on television. (Funny how they're barely, barely featured in the number!)

Voiceover of the Night: "Cadillac congratulates the winner of the Tony award for Featured Actress in a Musical." That's how the Tonys survive. Selling sponsorships to one award at a time.

That's the best Cadillac could do???

10:00
You know what's clever about this Whoopi business--under the guise of "parody" she's actually helping to promote yet more musicals that are not even nominated for anything this year. Phantom, Spamalot, Mary Poppins...Just "classics" you say? Well, they're still running.

Plus, did you notice that a bunch of other "classic" musicals (who happen to be still running) like Hairspray, Mama Mia, Chicago get plugged, too, through these random "behind-the-scenes" clips.

The Broadway agenda is in full force tonight.

Speaking of which, did you notice when Marisa Tomei said (something like) "and now let us see some of the fine theatrical work other than those nominated for best musicals or musical revivals." And now The Little Mermaid!

Thank you , Mark Rylance, for volunteering to be the weirdest man on television for a night. (And nice handshake between him and rival Patrick Stewart--who reportedly wanted it bad. Wonder if he was saying to himself behind that smile, "I can't believe I lost to that freak!" Seriously, I'm second to none in Mark Rylance fans. Huzzah!)

Now I'm no fashion expert, but...did Gabriel Byrne just inaugurate the trend of the intentionally loosened tie? And did Mary Louise Parker steal a miniskirt from Legally Blond?

Ok, I owe the Tonys an apology. I earlier lamented the exclusion of play excerpts. Well here they are. 10 seconds each, or was that 5? And what does it say that Whoopi's intros were much longer than the clips themselves? Don't tell me there's just no time.

"In the Heights" number--I wished they hadn't cut & pasted this one. There's so many good numbers that stand alone. And it surprises me they seem to be highlighting the more hiphop excerpts from the score, when most of it is salsa and meringue. And that would probably be more widely appealing to the Tony broadcast audience.

Nice to know that all the design awards were brought to us by Hilton. They couldn't even get on the air! (And the voiceover can't even pronounce "Les Liasons Dangerooo")

10: 30
For the record: first ever Tonys for sound design goes to Scott Lehrer, South Pacific (musical) and Mic Pool, 39 Steps (play).

Here comes Best Play--bring out the Brits! Which of course means Harry Potter. And nice moment where Richard Griffiths mocks young Radcliffe

Oh my god, look at how many producers are on stage for August. "I don't know all these people but they must have had something to do with the show," said playwright Tracy Letts. He's on a roll, actually, this long hard working, actor-playwright"This is a hell of a lot better than auditioning for JAG." "Thanks to these producers for daring to put a new American play on Broadway. With theatre actors."

To cut off Tracy Letts is bad enough (especially before he gets to thanks his, uh, father? Who acted in the play and died during the run? And it's Father's Day???)...but to cut him off with "On Broadway"...priceless.

Did the Tony peeps know Sondheim wouldn't show up when they voted him a lifetime achievement award. Ha, busted!

It's a shame that the Sunday in the Park with George number couldn't show off the amazing video design more. But since the shows have to "remount" their numbers (at their own expense, I believe?) in Radio City Music Hall, then maybe more display was impossible--not to mention, more of the cast.

Whoopi in Spring Awakening. Are you laughing yet?

10:45
Best Veiled Insult of the night: Andre Bishop paying tribute to the "couple of other major revivals of classic musicals." Translation: not Grease.

I haven't seen Xanadu, but that Tony Roberts singing from his seat in the audience bit was actually a surprisingly wonderful bit of television. How rare.

Looks like they will at least be on time tonight. Stay tuned for The Coronation of LuPone and the Best Musical award to In the What???

11:00
Paulo Szot: "I was proud to play Emile DeBecq, a man who opposed war and fights for love. That simple." Only political statement of the night. Leave it to a foreigner.

Ok, apologies to Cadillac--they apparently could indeed afford to thank the winner of every category (at least those awarded right before commercial break.)

Patti LuPone, to band beginning those ominous notes of "On Broadway": "Shut up, I've been waiting for this 29 years!"

And, just in time, indeed. In the Heights wins at 10:59 exactly. I don't know what producer Jill Furman said since my DVR cut her off seconds later.

Good night!

Bloggin' the Tonys 2007

11:13
'nuff said. But results (predictable as they are) are here.

10:59
Wow. CBS has really kept everyone on schedule this time. "Spring Awakening" awarded at 10:57pm for, in the words of its producer "a musical that rocks" for "audiences [i.e. ticketbuyers] of every age" and "raising the roof" [I kid you not].

Well, good night everyone! The orchestra is playing, Angela is saying "Come to Broadway,
so it must be over.

The real winner: CBS. I mean, it's only 10:59!

10:52
I gotta hand it to Michael Riedel (I think?) for predicting David Hyde Pierce's upset for Best Actor/Musical as a shout-out to Kander & Ebb. (Sorry, Raul) And, sure enough, CBS is cutting him off...

And now Ben Vereen & his "godson" Usher. Aww...

We are running way over, folks... We're only up to Bets Actress/Musical..

And that's Christine Ebersole, btw. There is some justice


10:38
So they let "Spring Awakening" do "Bitch of Living" despite FCC concerns. Good for them. And whoever's directing the CBS cutting/camera angles was "totally" into it.

BTW--in case you're wondering about the absence of Paris Hilton jokes at the Tony's... official sponsor: Hilton!

So wait: Legally Blonde doesn't get a spot, but the year-old "Color Purple" does, thanks to American Idol-crowned Fantasia? Oh, and , as they say, in honor of Alliance Theatre, Atlanta. Right.

She's not even singing in character. (In character wig & makeup, at least)

10:33
At the end of the day, "Lord" Tom Stoppard (he may not be yet, but he will) did well, by taking us back 40 yrs to his first trip here for "Rosencrantz and Gildenstern" (remember when Stoppard was cool?): Back then, he says, "There were ashtrays on the back of the seats and the author got 10% of the gross."

And so, Lincoln Center Theatre's gamble pays off...

"Ladies and Gentlemen, an accomplished actor-director, Zach Braff"???

Less than 30 minutes to go...

10:22
Mistake for Grey Gardens not to pick Ebersole's "Around the World" as their number instead of "Revolutionary Costume"--which, with the laughs of the Tony audience, only hightens the problems of the show I foreground in my review here...Still, if you haven't seen the show, I hope you can see just a bit of why Ebersole is so great.

10:07
Hey, if anyone's reading this and not watching Sopranos... please comment! It's lonely out here.

Then again, that's what all theatre lovers say at one point or another...

10:00
Okay, enough with this Rosé crap. I've switched to Johnnie Walker Black for the last hour.

Justice, at last! "Company" beats "110" for Revival Musical. Even if 3rd producer got least gracious orchestral cut-off for his speech.

I know it was a while ago, but just wanted to praise whoever's responsible for not pushing Bebe Neuworth and David Hyde Pierce to make Frasier jokes during their co-presenting.

Julie White wins! Tony voters' memory longer than 4 months!

9:50
What the hell did they just do with Best Play??? Teasing us with the "And the Nominees are before 10pm??? Should play-lovers be flattered that CBS thinks a Best Play-tease would even help?--and over to Best Play revival!

Not good TV, just downright confusing, I say.

And now "Journey's End" reaches its inevitable...well, end. (It finally closed, by mercy-killing, this afternoon.) A billion producers on stage (including one in tartan pants, I believe), more than the audience on most nights....Producer Bill Haber's first line, appropriately: "Contrary to rumors, I did not bankrupt myself in this show."

Hey, for Tommy Tune's tribute to "those we have lost" very classy for CBS not to let us see the names of any of the departed on the screen above him. Pathetic television.

9:36
Maybe Michael Mayer can relax now. He finally got his Tony..... It's clear that he's craved this ever since getting snubbed over for Millie and countless other musicals. He's known to really love musicals, while instead he's been more acclaimed for plays... So don't be surprised if his speech seems very well rehearsed.... I couldn't help noticing when I saw Spring Awakening at the Atlantic last summer, how struck I was that Mayer and Steven Sater were still watching from the back of the house (several weeks into the run) laughing and trying to whoop up applause. My sense was there were "people" in the house who could help with the move to B'way..... Congrats, Michael. It all paid off.

So Mayer beat John Doyle for director/musical. But will Doyle's "Company" finally get the nod over "110 in the Shade" in compensation for last year's "Sweeney" snub? As much as I liked "Company" and like Doyle, I predict he will be snubbed again. It opened too long ago, and people just don't like "Company." Stay tuned...

Interesting, the "Company" number is Raul Esparza's solo in "Being Alive." In the context of this production it's kind of a "spoiler." But this is all about Esparza's career. And, as you can see from this number, Esparze is pretty damn good.

9:29
Quick theory about why CBS continues to indulge the Tonys. To give them guilt-free license to hog free air time to air 2-minute promo spots for shows like Vegas rip-off "Viva Laughlin."

Hmm, I believe John Mahonney's scripted "Goddamned" was awkwardly, and too late, bleeped by CBS during the lame attempt to spoof the American Theatre Wing obligatory sermon before the soup. (Ok, at least they tried to do something with it.)

Aha! "A Look Back in the Year in Musicals"--so it's all a compromise to give "Legally Blonde" something! (But then, they also have to include "Pirate Queen," "High Fidelity" and "Times They Are A Changing"!--I believe the over-dubbed different music for "Fidelity")

Don't expect them to do anything more for the Best Plays, other than some garbled video excerpts when announcing the nominees.

9:19
My god, "A Look Back in the Year in Plays!" Plays! What are those?...A whole 1 minute. (I kid you not, was looking at the clock) And they gave the intro to CBS Early Show's Harry Smith!

Response to Mary Poppins excerpt: prediction--Poppins will win the "Tony bounce" contest for b.o. sales tomorrow morning. It's family entertainment, it's Disney, it's Mary Poppins! (With chimney sweepers!)

Seeing Jack O'Brien get his inevitable (and, let's say it, well deserved) Best Director award, I realize something: "Coram Boy" was written and directed by women! Something that went unmentioned in the wildly divergent reception of the show. But worth mentioning. Espeically since it was effectively an import, and not many other Broadway musical/plays with an all- female creative pedigree.

Interesting that O'Brien piggybacks on Ehle's's remarks about "Coast of U" hoping to inspire a massive call (yet again) for A US National Theatre! Says O'Brien, "Let no one question any more the State of the American Theatre." Or words to that effect.... Good point, Jack. Your production was beautiful. But your playwright was British, your subject Russian, and your lead Irish. What does that say?

My god, as pathetic as it was that Best Special Theatrical Event only had two nominees, the ventriloquist dummy one wins over Kiki & Herb? Uptown will always defeat downtown in the end. (I say Uptown because it looks like the dummy guy had some bonafide producers.)

Eddie Izzard is (thankfully) drunk.

9:00
Some highlights: cool to see Bill T. Jones jump the stage and maul his presenters. Way to show them some downtown style, Bill T.

Also, I believe I saw Duncan Sheik stop to give a manly hug to Michael Cerveris on his way down the aisle. Cerveris is a known rocker in his spare time. And, as Mr. Sheik tells us, "Musical Theatre Rocks!" Take it from him.

And, yes, the Tony voters are officially starfuckers. Jennifer Ehle, best featured actress. Even though no one honestly admits she gives good performances in any of the three parts of "Coast." AND...she's not even a star!

But hush--it's "Mary Poppins" time. And we can see if Matthew Bourne really did give fellow highbrow modern-dance man Bill T Jones a run for his money.

(And we're only 1/3rd through...)

8:44
Note the Oscar-esque voice-over now covering after every winner is announced. "Mary Louise Wilson is a veteran of blah blah years," and then: "This is her first Tony award for her superb performance in Grey Gardens." So I assume they have equally "superb" copy prepared for each nominee? ("The superb Orfeh's superb performance in Legally Blonde!")

For the record, the official Playgoer drink of the night is a 2005 Rosé from Bastianich. Not bad. Actually not a Rosé drinker, but it was a gift. So I'm just saying up front, if the blogging's off--blame the Rosé.

8:31
Just one comment on the "Curtains" number: it's amazing, isn't it, how composers and choreographers just know that magical, pavlovian callibration of music and steps to automatically generate applause with a kickline. No matter how lame the song or the context, if you get the ritardendo right, and have just enough legs kicking--it gets them (ok, us) every time. It's the only "sure thing" in show biz.

Note the new "coming attractions" approach to keep people from switching over to "Sopranos." Like, just now, having McDonald and Cullum give a 5-line "preview" of "110 in the Shade". (A preview of the excerpt, that is.) Seems to just fall flat and take up yet more valuable time.

8:20
1st commercial break: note the hard-sell Lion King ad. "10 years and counting!" Disney's in this one for the long haul, you can bet the farm. Somewhere in a board meeting in Mouseland, someone at Disney Theatricals (or higher) as said "We will bury Phantom!"

Spring Awakening sweep, Part 2. Best Book. Glad Stephen Sater thanked Wedekind. A recent inexplicable piece in NYT talked about the show as some new crazy openness about sexuality. Man!

Hey--question has been circulating as to whether CBS would let them sing "Bitch of Living" in prime time.

8:13
Best Featured Actor, Musical--the big-hair kid from "Spring Awakening." Again, signs of sweep are early for the faves.

I was starting to get persuaded by pre-show predictions of upsets by such underdogs as "Frost/Nixon" or "Mary Poppins" But no. They had opportunities in both categories so far to toss bones to "Radio Golf," "Legally Blonde" or even "LoveMusik" and "110 in the Shade." I'm willing to commit to the conventional wisdom. The voters like these shows. Really, really like them!

8:10
Billy Crudup! Or, as he reminds us, Crude(as in Dude!)-up.

Yup, it's a "Coast of U" sweep.


7:55pm
Welcome to the 3rd Annual Playgoer Live Tony Blogcast!

In case you haven't been glued to the live feed on Tonys.com of the pre-show "creative" awards, let me catch you up on those little categories already handed out and not deemed ready for prime time on CBS. (And that's saying a lot).

(The official site is posting winners as they go here.)

ORCHESTRATIONS: Duncan Sheik, "Spring Awakening"
SET (PLAY): Bob Crowley & Scott Pask "Coast of Utopia"
SET (MUSICAL): Bob Crowley, "Mary Poppins"
COSTUMES (PLAY): Catherine Zuber, "Coast of Utopia"
COSTUMES (MUSICAL): Wiliam Ivey Long, "Grey Gardens"
LIGHTING (PLAY):Brian MacDevitt, Kenneth Posner, and Natasha Katz , "The Coast of Utopia"
LIGHTING (MUSICAL): Kevin Adams, "Spring Awakening"

and the big suspense...

the Pre-Announced Regional Theatre Award to Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.

Excellent, excellent points in Comments recently about the total disregard of Sound Design, which long ago came into its own even above 14th St.

Oh god, it's starting. With "Chorus Line," of course, Hamlisch at the piano. And they're getting cute with "places please" with all the other musicals, revival and non....Oh, it's even worse. They've adopted the whole Chorus Line casting call motif to introduce everyone. Unfair edge to Chorus Line!

Note on the "headshot" bits announcing the presenters... since some are revealing their real faces, you know the others didn't show up for the pre-taping.

Bloggin' The Tonys, 2006

10:56
Double-dis to "Sweeney"! And to Patti LuPone! Obviously LaChanze benefitted from a classic split-vote scenario between her and Chita....Make no mistake, they don't like dark shows (especially dark musicals) on Broadway, no matter how praised.

And finally... Vivat the Jukebox Musical! "Jersey Boys" stands to run as long as producer Michael David's beard. That is his real beard. I've seen him on the subway on a hot August afternoon with it.

Since that's probably the most valuable contribution I can make for the night I'll sign off there.

Thanks, commenters, for a rockin' Tony party! In true Bill O'Reilly fashion, I'll give you the last word.

10:30
And the Best Play goes to... what, a Well write-in?
No, it's da Boyz. Dig Alan Bennett's flamboyant and crooked tie. The one American voice in the acceptance speech is Bob Boyett, who's watching his exclusive contract with the Royal National to bring their shows to B'way pay off. Big time. (History Boys has already paid off investors after six weeks. The Tony only sweetens it all.)

Heeeeere's Oprah! (Can we still hope for some envelope shenanigans with Best Musical...?)

10:20
Thank god some drama is making it on the show. Even though August and Wendy had to die to make it happen. How about that 10 seconds of James Earl Jones doing "Fences," huh? Really couldn't find 50 more seconds, American Theatre Wing?

Dis to "Sweeney"! Wow. As good as "Pajama Game" may be, the word is it's all about touring, as usual. And so the show commonly agreed to be the most dramatically interesting on Broadway may very well go Tony-less. Unless, Miss LuPone gets the Diva award.

Did we forget to mention that "fuck" Alan Cumming had to quietly vocalize during the "Threepenny" number? (It must have been hard to find a song in Wally Shawn's translation without one.) Dare I hope for a Janet Jackson/Bono-style bruhaha tomorrow in the media? If only they paid that much attention to us...

And cutting off Richard Griffiths reciting Whitman? Priceless.

9:45

I know the cynical among us should not feign outrage over the Tonys' treatment of "straight" plays... but the 2-minute wrap up of "these thought provoking works" seemed design to provoke nothing more than a "huh?" The literally 10-second video clips couldn't have done anything to boost ticket sales for any of these. Nice going, Tonys. Let's see what better plans you have for these three hours.

Have you noticed the corporate sponsorship of specific awards? In the last commercial break Cadilac saluted the Best Featured Actress in a Play. Imagine the possibilities!

The Hal Prince living diaroma tableau is scary. Good thing the old man stayed away.

I hope the exceptionally well-chosen "Threepenny" excerpt convinces some that my recent lone-voice-in-the-wilderness positive review may have something to it.

Uh oh, Julia's coming up. Get the popcorn ready...

9:05 What does it say when your classiest presenter is Joe Pesci?

Seriously the no-host format isn't working out too badly, since it cuts down on dud monologues at least. The question for still is--without the design awards, without rambling host syndrome...why is this still a 3-hour show? Beware a massive "Salute to..." number, featuring mismatched stars, in the final hour. (Remember last year's head-scratching Hugh Jackman-Aretha Franklin Sondheim tribute?)

Wisely they seem to be using the time to showcase the shows, at least the musicals, with lengthier excerpts than usual, I believe. But they haven't convinced me that "Jersey Boys" is much more than a PBS-telethon filler or that "Drowsy Chaperone" isn't a more tongue-in-cheek "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Meanwhile, the jaw-dropping spectacle of "Wedding Singer" is definitely the performance highlight so far.

Omigod, Hal Holbrook is talking about Mark Twain's grave. Not a CBS-scripted moment, I'm sure. And congrats Frances De La Tour. And sorry Jane Houdyshell, Well's only Tony shot--you were doomed to lose out to the Brits in every way.

Yay, Odets! Bravo on your first Tony on your 100th birthday.

8:00pm
Welcome to Tony Blogcast 2006.

It's 8pm EST, Harry Connick is singing in lieu of a host, and the first ten awards were already given out. As for that webcast showing that part... what webcast? The design awards are summed up here. (Already a History Boys sweep. Good for Awake and Sing on costumes, though.)

Again, no host, just "60 stars". "Our first two stars--Kyra Sedgwick and Josh Lucas." Wow!

Featured Actor in a Play? Ian McDiarmid, the creepy Star Wars guy, beats Mark Ruffalo. Brits rule tonight it's already clear.

Tune in as the night goes on. It will clearly be a long three hours...

TONYS 2005: THE BLOGCAST

And we're off...

I will try not to harp too much on the evils of this conspiracy of producers known as the American Theatre Wing Antoinette Perry Awards. What's most significant about tonight is hardly any honest sense of rewarding excellence in the American (or imported British) theatre. All that remains important is--it is pretty much the only 3 hours you'll see devoted to theatre on nationwide commercial television all year! So, to me, it really matters how "we" come off to the rest of the country, and that 's what I'll be looking for.

So let the deconstruction begin...

8:55
The nice way to explain what's happening so far with the musicals is: spreading the wealth. The catty way would be: Spamalot shut out. Rumors among the critics this week of a Spamalot backlash are proving true. As if Tony voters suddenly had a conscience and chose to stiff the ultra-slick Spamalot on the "quality" awards of score and book, even though probably still giving it Best Good Time (otherwise known as Best Musical)

By the way, watching Hugh Jackman's 10-minute solo at the top made me wonder: is the Broadway establishment (inasfar as they are even responsible for this show) investing the entire future of theatre in the person of this gangly Aussie?

The worthy Doug Hughes just won Director of a Play. Good. He's one of the most serious hardest working real directors on the circuit, yet to be tainted as a commercial property (as I'm afraid Montello is).

And if you just missed Christina Applegate in her big Sweet Charity number... well, you realize how kind these critics have really been. I think it was Isherwood who saw fit to remind us all this was a show created by Bob Fosse for Gwen Verdon. So in other words.. dance is kinda important in this show.

9:40
I know we should all be appreciative to CBS for sticking with the whole 3 hours... but to relegate to the "taped earlier this evening" segments Edward Albee's Lifetime Achievement Award? Well what could we expect.

Remember when they actually used to show scenes from the nominated plays? Or at least told us what they were about? Ok, that was 20 years ago, but tonight's option of still photos and voice overs takes the cake for grudging inclusion. Plays are at the kiddie table of this party

10:55
As we await Best Musical, I'd like to offer special kudos to Playgoer friend Dan Fogler, the Spelling Bee funnyman. Always a thrill to see an unknown young actor be recognized. TONY can do some good some times.

Looks like the new idea to split/double the design awards for drama & musical ended a mixed blessing, since CBS had no intention of broadcasting those awards life. The winners were lucky to have their faces shown. Producers should be more gracious for all those times people applaud the scenery, don't you think. What an insult to some of the most essential contributors to these shows's success. (I half expected them to have to stand in the aisles, a la this year's Oscar "techies")

And the winner is...... Spamalot, of course. Voters had their conscience and ate it, too...

Good night!

MorningAfterthoughts (6/6):
It's about time we relieved CBS the burden of carrying all three hours of this poorly produced informercial. I for one would be happy with a solid 90 minutes of just awards, speeches, and scenes. And no Radio City--an intimate Rainbow Room cocktail party, like Tonys of old...

I must tip my hat to Jeffrey Eric Jenkins (see "Predictions" below) for scooping us all on Bill Irwin's surprise win. I will promptly eat my hat, Jeffrey, as soon as I wipe the egg off my face.

Didn't the Spamalot scenes look lame on tv??? I have a feeling the rest of the country must be wondering what the hell we all find so funny. What was missing, I think , was context. It revealed the importance of the momentum of silliness Mike Nichols constructs. (Again, Casey Nicholaw's choreographer remains an unsung component. Sure the La Cage kicks & flips are impressive. But Nicholaw's work in Spamalot serves its show with a sublety and wit rarely seen, a true director-choreographer collaboration.)

As for the 10-minute Hugh Jackman-Aretha Stehpen Sondheim "tribute"... hard to know what to say. Shall I start with, first, the music was by Leonard Bernstein? Maybe I'll leave more scathing cutting up to the fanzines and the chatrooms. All I know is that airtime could've gone to the rest of Edward Albee's acceptance speech.